4 ms·
If I know nothing about computers and software engineering and I have a problem with an open source software, I will have to pay someone to fix the bug (busines
by shin_lao 17y ago
If I know nothing about computers and software engineering and I have a problem with an open source software, I will have to pay someone to fix the bug (business) or rely on the goodwill of someone else to do it (charity).
- sokoloff 17y agoStill, YOU having that choice is strictly better for you as a user than having the choice be dictated by the original author with you having no alternative, right? In the GPL case, if it's important enough to you and you alone, as defined by being worth you trading some resource you have (time and talent, or money) in exchange for the work, you can get the software modified. In a closed source case, it must be important enough to you to make the case and convince someone else as well.
- NikkiA 17y agoYou can pay someone other than the original developer, which is a HUGE difference. If you want some specific core feature in MS Office, you need to petition MS and hope they'll add it someday. If you want the same core feature in OpenOffice.org, there are experts in the OOo codebase that could do it all around the world, you could pay someone at Sun, someone at IBM, or someone that is freelance, it's your choice, and you have a free market to find who will make the change at the lowest price.
- shin_lao 17y agoSorry, no. Adding a feature in MS Office is extremely easy without the source code thanks to the powerful macros and plugins. There are companies making a living of this. It's much much easier to extend MS office than OOO.